Round Lake Hut.

ROUND LAKE HUT
Rhinebeck, NY, United States, 2001-2001

PROGRAM: watercolor retreat
CLIENT: withheld
SIZE: 80 sf
STATUS: completed

Creative and imaginative work begins in the solitude of the connection of the mind/eye/hand. This solitary room with a table and a chair is a functional drawing studio. The wood framed, 80 square foot space, sits on four legs at the edge of Round Lake. The north and south elevations are glass in cedar frames. The sides are black tar paper with wooden battens. There is a one-by- four foot window at the floor facing east toward the sunrise. There is no plumbing, no electricity, and no insulation. Steven Holl Architects.

The village began in 1867 as a summer camp meeting locale for groups of Methodists. At first, visitors lived in tents, while visiting ministers could rent space in the second story of the meeting’s passenger station. By 1868 more permanent structures including cottages, a two-story trustees office and bookstore, and a market appeared. Besides the expected religious meetings, a week was devoted to musical endeavors [never heard of this, not sure accuracy for “music week]. It was owned and governed by the Round Lake Association and patterned after Chautauqua Institution. (no. Incorrect. The original grounds were a camp meeting that frequently featured the Troy Annual Conference Camp Meeting, the National Camp-Meeting Association for the Promotion of Holiness, and the New York State Camp Meeting. The grounds’ days as the Round Lake Assembly, which was modeled after the Chautauqua Institute, did not begin until the late 1870s/1880s).

The 1980-pipe Ferris Tracker organ, originally built in 1847 for Calvary Episcopal Church in New York City, was moved to the Round Lake Auditorium in 1888 and is considered to be the oldest and largest three-manual organ in existence. The organ is still used for musical programs today.

By mid 20th century, declining interest in the cultural activities of the Round Lake Association led to its demise in the 1960s. After the association was dissolved, the village was incorporated in 1969 to take its place. Wikipedia.